PEMBROKE Dock’s mayor Peter Kraus has warned that 2016 could well be an even worse year for jobs in the town than 2015, following news the town Co-operative Bank is to close later this year.

The branch at 37 Dimond Street, formerly the Britannia Building Society, which employs eight staff, is due to close on May 9.

The latest blow for the town follows a string of business and bank closures, or fears of closure.

Less than a year ago, the nearby branch of Barclays Bank closed, and, more recently, it was announced that the London Road-based branch of the Brantano shoe store chain faced an uncertain future with the parent company had calling in administrators.

Closure is also on the cards at London Road’s B&Q store.

Pembroke Dock Mayor Peter Kraus said: “It’s dire straits; it’s job losses again, another eight jobs in Pembroke Dock; and who’s there to fill it when it’s gone?

“I thought 2015 was bad but 2016 looks like a worse year, and I’m normally very positive.

“It’s yet another one, more job losses, and there’s the inconvenience to the people that bank there.

“It seems to me that the town centre is going to be like a place of flats.

“Everything’s going to Pembroke but not Pembroke Dock, but we’re the town that has all the business down here; we’re being made to suffer down here.”

Liam Coleman, Director Retail and Commercial Bank at The Co-operative Bank said: “These decisions are never easy but continuing to reduce our costs is necessary as we seek to restructure and modernise the Bank and, unfortunately, this includes closing branches where the number of transactions has declined significantly, meaning it is no longer sustainable.”

He added: “We have sought to keep the impact on our customers to a minimum and are writing to affected customers giving them advance notice about these changes and the alternative options available to them.

“There are eight roles impacted. We are seeking to keep job losses to a minimum and redeployment opportunities will be offered where possible.”